I would be happy if an annoucement was made to simply increase the T26 build to 10 and increase the T31 budget 350m per ship. This would give us extra ASW capability as the current 8 planned T26 will be stretched and also make the T31 more credible. To me this would go a long way to reversing the continual decline of our escort fleet.Poiuytrewq wrote:Let's be honest it's all a bit of fantasy but it is the time of year for wish listsTempest414 wrote:As I have said in the past for 1.1 billion a year over 15 years you could get[.....]if the budget went up to just 1.35 billion we could still get all this but now do away with type XX and have 14 type 26
Obviously we all have our preferred priorities if the MoD were to be provided with an extra £8bn per annum but I think the important point here is that this statement is coming from a government defence minister. The head of the Defence Select Committee is also calling for an increase in overall defence spending to around 3% of GDP which would be an increase of around £15 to £20bn. A massive increase which is very unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future.
If we take the £8bn that Mr Ellwood is calling for which would amount to roughly 2.5% of GDP what is the strategical thinking behind it? What does the MoD want to do that it can't afford to right now? It's an intriguing thought and £80bn over the next decade is much bigger than any structural deficit contained in the MoD finances so I suspect many are aiming on undoing a lot of the damage since 2010.
Rather than focusing on individual platforms and capabilities I am primarily interested in the strategy behind the requested £8bn increase. How would this amount be broken down? Would it be realistic to assume that RN/RM/RFA, RAF and the Army would each receive around £2bn extra per annum with the remaining £2bn left for Cyber, counter terrorism, space and plugging the black hole? It's a bit simplistic but it might not be far away.
How would this extra £2bn per annum alter RN's outlook? It would do a lot more than stopping any future cuts and sorting out the T31/T26 shenanigans. It may lead to an entirely different strategy.
A few possible outcomes,
1. Increase manpower back to pre 2010 levels.
2. Increase T26 numbers and build Frigate factory
3. Increase T31 numbers and also raise the unit price
4. Increase Astute numbers and enlarge Barrow
5. Introduce an SSK programme
6. Build a third CVF
7. Scrap the Albions and build LHD's in the 2020's
8. Fast-track the MH(P)C programme
9. Upgrade the T45 with CAMM and extra MK41's
10. Transfer F35b's across to FAA permanently
11. Add more Merlins and marinised Chinooks
12. Add V22 Ospreys
Added to this list could be giving Merlins a ASuW capability, adding Wildcat datalink, T45 BMD, CVF AEW and CAMM, CB90's, the list could go on forever.
What I am interested in is assessing is how RN's future direction would change if the black hole was filled plus RN/RM/RFA received an extra £2bn per annum.
Feel free to help me out.....
Manpower - yes a big one
Increase Astute build? never going to happen.
Introduce SSK? - unlikely but i like the idea
LHD? - probably not being looked at yet
Build a third CVF - no need.
Upgrade T45 - possibly but Mk41 is probably low priority if new money was available.